Dayle Dodge - Career

Career

In Hollywood, Dayle worked in accounting and post-production at Aaron Spelling Productions during filming of "The Love Boat", "Dynasty" and "Matt Houston" spending hours every day visiting production areas at the Warner Hollywood Studios. "Dynasty" became the number one television show during this time.

Dayle met Carlo Rambaldi and obtained work for her sister to do jewelry size models for "Dune". Dayle was paid for her 1" high wire and plasticine men (wormriders), for Dune, however, her sister's sterling silver men were used in the film. Inspired by contact with Rambaldi and after seeing the actual "E.T." model at his Northridge sculpture shop (where "E.T. was Born Here" posters hung on the wall), Dayle created a 4" miniature of E.T. using front and profile drawings - first in Plasticine and then in wax, which she later cast in bronze.

At the American Film Institute (AFI) for the Second Year Film Studies program under Roman Harte, Dayle oversaw production of five student film projects as well as several other second year films being completed. Dayle worked on a couple of these films during non-work hours. In the capacity of this position, Dayle met most of the top cinematographers of Hollywood, as well as several future feature film directors including Gary Winick, Carl Franklin and Manny Coto. She also was able to attend weekend seminars at AFI and read transcripts of presentations by Hollywood people.

Boss Film Studios hired Dayle to help with the bidding process. From there she was recruited to work on "Solar Crisis" (AKA "2030"), and NHK's "A Galactic Odyssey". While working on these productions, 17 of Dayle's colleagues had been part of the visual effects crew for the "Star Wars" films.

Greg Jein saw Dayle's miniature bronze sculpture work of E.T. and asked her to work both as a Model Shop Coordinator and detail model-maker on various spaceships, dysonsphere and a docking station for "Star Trek: The Next Generation" She also did detail work on dozens of door panels and the "Hell's Planet" tabletop for "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine".

She also worked for Greg Jein at Boss Film as Model Shop Coordinator, and did detail work on pilots, and missiles for "Air Force One" and the space ship for"Starship Troopers".

While pursuing a Certificate in Art (3D Studio Max) at Santa Ana College, Dayle was recruited to work as an I.A.T.S.E.- Local 839 - Animation Guild Ink and Paint Cell Painter for Warner Brothers Feature Animation on both "Space Jam" and "Quest for Camelot".